Alright everyone, today I’m going to share how I make my version of Mote de Queso de Buesaco. It’s a soup I’ve put together based on what I remember and what feels right, kind of like those hearty meals you get in smaller towns. It’s not a fancy thing, just good, honest food.
Getting Started: The Ingredients Hunt
First off, I had to gather all my bits and pieces. You know how it is, you can’t make good food without good stuff.
- Yam: This is the heart of it, really. I looked for some nice, firm ñame, or yam. Not the sweet potato kind, but the proper white yam. Spent a good few minutes picking out a couple of decent ones at the market.
- Cheese: For this, you need that salty, crumbly cheese. I managed to find some Costeño cheese, which is perfect. It’s got that tang that really makes the soup.
- The Aromatics: Can’t cook much without these. I grabbed a couple of onions, a head of garlic, and some green onions, or scallions as some call ’em.
- Tomatoes: A few ripe tomatoes to give it some color and a bit of acidity.
- Spices & Extras: Just some ground cumin, and of course, fresh limes for that zing at the end. Salt too, but you gotta be careful with that because of the cheese.
The Making Of: My Process Step-by-Step
Once I had everything laid out on my counter, it was time to get down to business. I like to get all my chopping done first, makes the cooking smoother.
So, I started by peeling the yam. That stuff can be a bit tough on the skin. Then I chopped it into decent-sized chunks, maybe an inch or so. You don’t want them too small, or they’ll turn to mush.
Next, I tackled the onions, garlic, and scallions. Diced the onions, minced the garlic up real fine – I like a good hit of garlic – and sliced the scallions, separating the white parts from the green for later.
The tomatoes got a rough chop. I wasn’t too fussy about it. Some folks peel them, but I usually just chuck them in, skin and all for this kind of soup.
With all my prep done, I put my big, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove. A little bit of oil went in, just enough to get things going. Once it was warm, I threw in the diced onions and the white parts of the scallions. Let them sweat down for a few minutes until they were soft and smelling good. Then, in went the minced garlic for another minute – careful not to burn it.
After that, I added the chopped tomatoes. Stirred them around and let them cook down a bit, releasing their juices and making a nice base. Then, the yam chunks went into the pot. I gave everything a good stir to get the yam coated with all those flavors.
Then, I poured in enough water to cover all the yam, plus a little extra. Brought it to a boil, then turned the heat down to a simmer. Put a lid on it, but left a little gap. This part just takes patience. I let it bubble away gently until the yam was tender. I checked it by poking a piece with a fork; you want it soft but not falling apart completely. This probably took a good 20-25 minutes.
Once the yam was cooked through, it was time for the star of the show – the Costeño cheese. I crumbled it up with my hands and dropped it straight into the simmering soup. Gave it a gentle stir. The cheese melts a bit, making the soup creamy, but some bits stay whole, which is just perfect.
For the final touches, I stirred in a pinch of ground cumin. Not too much, just enough to give it that warmth. Then, a good squeeze of fresh lime juice. This really brightens up all the flavors, you can’t skip this part. I tasted it and added a tiny bit of salt. The cheese is already salty, so you really have to taste as you go.
Finally, I tossed in the green parts of the scallions I’d saved, just for a bit of freshness and color at the end.
And that was pretty much it. I ladled my Mote de Queso de Buesaco into a big bowl. It was thick, hearty, cheesy, and the yam was perfectly soft. It’s the kind of soup that fills you up and makes you feel good. No frills, just a solid, tasty meal. Definitely brought back some good memories, and it’s always worth the little bit of effort to make it from scratch.
